**The Evolution of Computers: From ENIAC to Modern Devices**

In the 1940s, one of the first computers was the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), which relied on vacuum tubes with over 17,000 units weighing a staggering 30 tons. Completed in the aftermath of World War II, the ENIAC was designed to test the feasibility of advanced technologies like the hydrogen bomb, but at its core, it was simply a machine capable of doing math very fast.

Today, the brain of any computer is called a processor or CPU (Central Processing Unit), which essentially performs the same function as the ENIAC, albeit on a much faster scale. Instead of executing thousands of calculations per second, modern processors can perform billions of calculations in a similar amount of time. While the hardware used to create processors has undergone significant changes, the fundamental ideas behind them remain the same.

**The Power of Modern Processors**

If you were to compare a modern CPU to one designed 50 years ago, they would be able to figure out everything, albeit on a much smaller scale due to the incredible power of modern processors. This allows us to accomplish tasks that were previously unimaginable, such as creating online video services like YouTube.

For instance, right now, you're watching a 1080p video playback at 30 frames per second, which is equivalent to 2 million pixels being changed every single second. In reality, this is just a series of still images played back quickly enough to create the illusion of actual motion. With modern computers, we can play multiple images rapidly and convincingly mimic real-world motion.

In contrast, if you were using a computer from 20 years ago, the output might look something like this – very jittery and unnatural. The reason for this disparity lies in the sheer power of modern processors, which enable smooth and fluid motion to be displayed over the internet.

**The Ubiquity of Computers**

The term "computer" actually applies to a wide range of devices beyond just smartphones and personal computers. Anything capable of executing a program can be considered a computer, including things like printers, hard drives, webcams, and even some kitchen appliances.

Take, for example, the Nest thermostat or Hue light bulbs – these smart devices can connect to the internet and report back to your phone. They represent the first step in what's being called the Internet of Things (IoT), where everyday objects become increasingly connected and intelligent.

Before long, devices like these will be just as much a part of our lives today as smartphones are now. Imagine where we'll be in another 10 years – or even 70!

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey guys this is Austin so what exactly is a computer now obviously it's the tower that sits on your desk or the laptop that goes into your bag what about the phone in your pocket or even to watch on your wrist has it all even work head back to the 1940s and one of the first computers was the ENIAC which was based on vacuum tubes with over 17,000 of them weighing 30 tons altogether and taking up as much space as a large house completed the tail end of World War 2 the ENIAC was designed to test the feasibility of things like the hydrogen bomb however at its core it was simply something that could do a lot of math very fast today the brains of a computer is called a processor or CPU for short essentially what it does is the same thing as the ENIAC although on a much faster scale instead of doing thousands of calculations a second it's in the billions while the hardware used to actually create a processor has definitely changed the general ideas behind it really haven't so if you should a modern CPU - a design or 50 years ago they're pretty much be able to figure everything out although it definitely would be on a much much much smaller scale because modern processors are so powerful allows us to do things like create an online video service such as YouTube so actually speaking of let's take a look at this video so right now you're watching a 1080p video playback at 30 frames per second so essentially that is is 2 million pixels that are being changed 30 times every single second to create the illusion of actual motion now in reality it's just a series of still images that are played back very quickly kind of trick your brain however with the modern computer you can play lots of images play them very fast and you really won't be able to tell the difference however if you're using a computer say from 20 years ago the output might look a little something like this so there's absolutely no smooth motion it looks very jittery it looks very weird however because there's so much power so many transistors so many calculations every single second it makes fluid cool-looking motion like this over the Internet totally possible so far I've spent a lot of time talking about more standard kinds of computers however the term computer actually applies to a lot of things including not only your phone but basically anything that can actually execute a program which includes a lot of things when you start looking at it let's say I want to play a game of flappy bird on my Moto X as I play the system on a chip is lighting up a pair of CPU cores for GPU cores and 16 billion ones and zeroes that make up the memory for storing the application this is an enormous ly complicated series of parts that all have to work together perfectly to do something as seemingly simple as play a game however the entire system on a chip will actually fit on this dime this is definitely a computer however I can see making an argument that so is this I mean yeah it might be a printer however it does have a processor it has an operating system screen it even connects via Wi-Fi even a mouse and keyboard has some logic as well as some wireless capabilities something as seemingly simple as a hard drive has a full-blown processor that is more powerful than what some of the moon missions had and even some webcams can actually have some pretty decent horsepower inside that you would never really expect now take a minute and look around the room that you're in right now how many computers are around you at this very second odds are probably more than you think computers like this are absolutely everywhere around us today and they're only going to get more and more common as things get cheaper and smaller a term you're going to be hearing a lot about soon is the Internet of Things things like the nest thermostat and hue light bulbs that are smart enough to connect to the internet and report back to your phone are the first step but before long devices like these as well as wearables are going to be just as much a part of our lives today as phones are coming back full circle to the ENIAC what 70 years ago required a computer the size of a house over a day to complete can now be done in a single second on a device that fits in your pocket just imagine where we'll be in another 10 years much less 70 anyway thank you guys for watching and I will catch you in the next onehey guys this is Austin so what exactly is a computer now obviously it's the tower that sits on your desk or the laptop that goes into your bag what about the phone in your pocket or even to watch on your wrist has it all even work head back to the 1940s and one of the first computers was the ENIAC which was based on vacuum tubes with over 17,000 of them weighing 30 tons altogether and taking up as much space as a large house completed the tail end of World War 2 the ENIAC was designed to test the feasibility of things like the hydrogen bomb however at its core it was simply something that could do a lot of math very fast today the brains of a computer is called a processor or CPU for short essentially what it does is the same thing as the ENIAC although on a much faster scale instead of doing thousands of calculations a second it's in the billions while the hardware used to actually create a processor has definitely changed the general ideas behind it really haven't so if you should a modern CPU - a design or 50 years ago they're pretty much be able to figure everything out although it definitely would be on a much much much smaller scale because modern processors are so powerful allows us to do things like create an online video service such as YouTube so actually speaking of let's take a look at this video so right now you're watching a 1080p video playback at 30 frames per second so essentially that is is 2 million pixels that are being changed 30 times every single second to create the illusion of actual motion now in reality it's just a series of still images that are played back very quickly kind of trick your brain however with the modern computer you can play lots of images play them very fast and you really won't be able to tell the difference however if you're using a computer say from 20 years ago the output might look a little something like this so there's absolutely no smooth motion it looks very jittery it looks very weird however because there's so much power so many transistors so many calculations every single second it makes fluid cool-looking motion like this over the Internet totally possible so far I've spent a lot of time talking about more standard kinds of computers however the term computer actually applies to a lot of things including not only your phone but basically anything that can actually execute a program which includes a lot of things when you start looking at it let's say I want to play a game of flappy bird on my Moto X as I play the system on a chip is lighting up a pair of CPU cores for GPU cores and 16 billion ones and zeroes that make up the memory for storing the application this is an enormous ly complicated series of parts that all have to work together perfectly to do something as seemingly simple as play a game however the entire system on a chip will actually fit on this dime this is definitely a computer however I can see making an argument that so is this I mean yeah it might be a printer however it does have a processor it has an operating system screen it even connects via Wi-Fi even a mouse and keyboard has some logic as well as some wireless capabilities something as seemingly simple as a hard drive has a full-blown processor that is more powerful than what some of the moon missions had and even some webcams can actually have some pretty decent horsepower inside that you would never really expect now take a minute and look around the room that you're in right now how many computers are around you at this very second odds are probably more than you think computers like this are absolutely everywhere around us today and they're only going to get more and more common as things get cheaper and smaller a term you're going to be hearing a lot about soon is the Internet of Things things like the nest thermostat and hue light bulbs that are smart enough to connect to the internet and report back to your phone are the first step but before long devices like these as well as wearables are going to be just as much a part of our lives today as phones are coming back full circle to the ENIAC what 70 years ago required a computer the size of a house over a day to complete can now be done in a single second on a device that fits in your pocket just imagine where we'll be in another 10 years much less 70 anyway thank you guys for watching and I will catch you in the next one